One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
Ratings452
Average rating4.1
Neither loved it or hated it. Very well written, but just a bit mid-range depressed pigeon staring at a semi deflated dirty paddling pool. Probably didn't help that my house has been invaded by a hyperactive builder called Andy who's entire medical history and love of heavy metal music is now engrained in my brain for all eternity. Although I will say, he does lay good felt.
I ended up really enjoying this reading experience, which was a relief upon the disaster that was Catch-22.
Kesey is great at making the characters feel both vividly realistic and caricature-like at the same time. They're incredibly enjoyable characters and they play off each other really well. Having the story told from someone who essentially is a fly on the wall, but literally is within the story is clever. The story feels less subjective and very observative in that way even though it actually isn't. Following McMurphy's storyline and how he affects the others is also a joy all the way through, and the only time that lags is when McMurphy himself has a temporary change of heart halfway through.
It was an interesting, thoughtful, and enjoyable read that had to something to say about authority figures and how easily we trust (and betray) others.
This is another book I read during my master's program in social work. It was written at a time when patients' rights were being questioned, as far as voluntary admission into mental asylums and the use of electro-shock treatment. A fantastic read, as fantastic as the movie that was made about it.
Reminded me of other big ones: the old man and the sea, the grapes of wrath, the whole myth of man versus something that may seem bigger than him - and sometimes is. Sad and soulful.
Not sure what the hype's about. It was cool to be transported to the 50s for a time, but I don't think the writing stood out and the story was similarly ho hum. I didn't feel for Chief n McMurphy that much, but maybe that's just a result of my never having been pressed down by The Man
i loved the premise, the setting, the WRITING. some very very unlikable characters in here yet i felt bad for them all in different ways. such a unique story that i think everyone should read.
racist and sexist in the way that every few pages there'd be another derogatory remark. chief was a lovely character though, the best thing about reading the book is how you get more insight into his struggles and mindset. <3 chief
The misogynist and racist overtones pretty unfortunate (to say the least), but man this book really is somethin' else
Kesey's prose is gorgeously simple - poetic and powerful, yet effortlessly readable. It has been quite awhile since I have been this engrossed in a book - not to mention the profound emotional impact it had on me throughout
McMurphy, for all his problematic traits and antics, might be my favorite character in all of fiction. You better believe I was grinning like a fool anytime he did or said basically anything - even laughing out loud half the time
I won't deny that, as a white male, I'm sure I am much more predisposed to liking this than other people may be. And I certainly don't blame people for not enjoying this book and/or finding it offensive - no doubt this book has some issues. But hooeee I sure did enjoy it
Pretty Standard, non-earth shattering book. I read this because Netflix is doing a spin off of Nurse Ratchet's life before she came to the hospital and all the shit went down that took place in this book. Overall, I think that this was good. There was a lot of substance here and I can see why in the '60s this was a big deal. We have come leaps and strides in the mental health sector of knowledge, however, we have so far to go. What is really interesting is the “total domination” factor of not wanting to ever address an issue (mental health) but rather asserting of total dominance over the subject through medication and a “we know best attitude”. The overtones and total Trump administration era, although this was written over a half century ago. If anything, the critics are right: this novel is a commentary on the inadequate treatment of mental health in this country, stemming from the fact that proper healthcare is not affordable and is essentially a privilege - not a right. The trickle down affect is that because of mistreatment, more violent tragedy is senselessly still present in this country today and no one is doing anything about it. Oh, is this what is meant by “keeping America great??” Do better America.
My feelings are very complicated. I've always kind of hated the term a problematic fave, but by golly, if this doesn't fit the bill. If I was rating this book solely based on enjoyment I'd give it 5 stars. The characters are so engaging and memorable that they practically erupt from the page. The unreliable narration is fantastically done. The world is claustrophobic and convincing. Overall it's damn fun and tragic at the same time.
But if I take any steps back and think about what this narrative is trying to convince me of, it all crumbles. Some of the issues are right on the surface. For a book trying to convince me of the humanity of marginalized people, it sure manages to caricature and dehumanize the POCs and women. The slurs thrown around in this book made me physically wince on multiple occasions. That meme about male authors writing female character who boob boobily could have been made after reading this.
And the problems aren't only skin deep. In One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, the world of the hospital is out of order. The women (specifically unattractive and unmarried women) and black people hold the power and the white men (and our native american narrator) have been robbed of their manhood and convinced that they're weak. Our protagonist comes in and effectively puts these upstarts in their place, beating the black men in a contest of strength and silencing and sexually assaulting the woman in power.
The young sexy girls who put out and the old black man who doesn't seem intimidating are allowed to stay :))
And when you put it like that, it's a helluva lot harder to enjoy.
P.S. I'd be interested to get the perspective of a Native American on Chief Bromden. His depiction is the most sympathetic of all the POCs in the book, but I do wonder if Kesey is romanticizing them. Similarly with the Japanese nurse briefly mentioned.
Gorgeous prose, excellent fluidity/cohesiveness.
I also enjoyed the unexpected moments of humor.
Don't like this style of writing. Perhaps I shall revisit after watching the movie.
It took me much too long to read this book. I had trouble getting into it at first. Chief Bromden, the deaf-mute narrator, was hard to follow. His rants about the fog and the machine were abstract streams of consciousness that I felt were overboard. Honestly, I found Bromden unbelievable. Now, I know, he's supposed to be an unreliable narrator, but not in the way I'm talking about. I can buy that he is masquerading as a deaf-mute and that the story is partially, if not completely, fabricated. Yes, this makes him unbelievable. But where his tale falls apart to me is that fact that he is even able to make a sentence. Here is a man so far gone that he believes machines run everything, that a thick fog descends around him allowing bad things to happen, and that his mind can be controlled by others. How could Bromden possibly come out of the fog long enough to tell his story? Even after his “transformation” he doesn't seem competent enough to have been able to process the deeper meaning of the story around him.
As Bromden's rants diminish, the novel begins to read faster. The plot picks up and there is a story. All the characters are entertaining. The supporting characters are well-crafted. It was good. Maybe a little better than good. But for me, it wasn't the makings of a classic.
About a guy who gets himself transferred from prison to an asylum, only to discover how people are treated in there. A wonderful read.